Packages or cartons for eggs and other fragile articles



d hlm March 14, B A. HURN T AL PACKAGES OR CARTONS FOR EGGS AND OTHER FRAGILE ARTICLES Filed Sept. 17, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 7.- Q/ 42 "um 3 I:

' I L56 E 44 I 4 L A Loans ATTOWY March 14, 1961 B. A. HURN EIAL PACKAGES OR CARTONS FOR EGGS AND OTHER FRAGILE ARTICLES Filed Sept. 17, 1958 & & if, FI /g III!" 0 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS KEV-L. U I LOCKS ATTORNEY March 14, B HURN ETAL PACKAGES OR CARTONS FOR EGGS AND OTHER FRAGILE ARTICLES Filed Sept. 17, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS. 75M 5 flam/ gm 9% M BY KfizaL F ucs ATTORNEY United States Patent PACKAGES 0R CARTONS FOR EGGS AND OTHER FRAGILE ARTICLES Basil Albert Hum, Norwich, and Gerald Arthur Rudd,

Corton, near Lowestoft, England, assiguors to Diamond National Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 17, 1958, Ser. No. 761,571

Claims priority, application Great Britain Oct. 24, 1957 7 Claims. (Cl. 229-) This invention relates to packages or cartons for eggs and other fragile articles, but is more particularly concerned with the packaging of eggs.

The invention is based on a consideration of the dimensional variations of large numbers of eggs and it has been discovered that by providing supporting and restraining contact at four or more points on the surface of the egg it is possible to afford the required safety in packing for eggs over a given range of sizes.

According to the invention a package or carton for the purpose described comprises a body including an article supporting structure or cell including three lateral portions extending upwardly and outwardly from a base at an angle of between 13 and 15 /2 to the vertical.

The invention also consists in a package or carton for the purpose described comprising a body and a lid hinged thereto, the body being formed to provide cells or groups of surfaces each adapted to support a single article in which each cell or group includes three substantially flat lateral portions inclined upwardly and outwardly from V the base of the body to engage the circumference of the article at three spaced points, preferably equally spaced in a horizontal plane, so as to leave a space below the article, said lateral portions being inclined to the vertical at an angle substantially between 13 and 15 /2 and the lid is arranged to engage the tops of the articles, the aforesaid lateral portions having a degree of lateral flexibility such that the lid can be caused when closed to engage the tops of all articles within a given range of sizes positioned within the carton, said lateral flexibility 'permitting larger articles to be forced down by the closing of the lid.. i

'The particular inclination of the said lateral portions is chosen in accordance with the size or range of sizes of the articles and it has been discovered that one possible arrangement for small hen eggs (approximately 2226 oz. per doz.). includes an inclination of 13 and for large hen eggs (approximately 26 oz. per doz. and up) an inclination of 14. The flexibility of the aforesaid lateral portions is preferably such that they are adapted to deflect by substantially 1,or substantially A at the point of contact.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, it has been discovered that eggs of any size within the aforesaid two ranges are accommodated in a single carton by providing an inclination of the supporting portions of 13 and spacing the supporting structures or cells somewhat further apart. With this arrangement the lateral portions are adapted to deflect by substantially 2 or V54" at the point of contact.

The required lateral flexibilityof the lateral article supporting portion may be provided for by a suitable choice of the character or thickness of the material forming them, or by providing suitably disposed thinned regions or by other means as described hereinafter.

According to a further feature of the invention, one of the lateral portions of each group constitutes a part of the outer wall of the carton or package, and at least one of the other lateral portions is constituted by a hollow projection, preferably of square pyramidal shape extending upwardly from the base of the package or carton.

According to a further feature of the invention, said lateral portions which are included in the outer wall of the package or carton are joined by curved wall portions to intermediate indented portions of the said wall, said indented portions being preferably flat and aligned 1ongitudinally.

According to a further feature of the invention, the hollow projections referred to above are of square and substantially pyramidal shape with their opposite corners aligned longitudinally and transversely with respect to the package or carton.

vAccording to a further feature of the invention, the otherwise laterally open spaces defined by the article engaging lateral portions are separated by barriers which extend both longitudinally and transversely. Said barriers are preferably hollow and are of inverted V cross section having rounded upper ends and being formed integrally with the body.

According to a further feature of the invention, the lid of the package or carton has a substantially flat top or includes one or more flat areas. In one convenient arrangement according to the invention, the lid is formed with a raised rim.

According to a further feature of the invention, the body of the package or carton is formed with a flap hinged to the side of the body opposite the lid hinge and is adapted to be positioned within the lid when the latter is closed, and the adjacent sides of the flap and lid are formed with interengaging means for locking the lid in closed position.

The preferred material from which the package or carton is formed is molded pulp and molding is eflected in accordance with generally known principles.

In egg cartons hitherto proposed, it has been possible for at least some of the eggs within a given range of sizes to be supported with the top of the egg spaced from the underside of the closed carton lid, thereby permitting somemovement of the egg liable to lead to damage during handling or transport of thecarton.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved package or carton of relatively simple and inexpensive construction that is capable of receiving and holding eggs therein of variable size over a given range in a manner that will prevent breakage of the eggs during handling and transit of the package.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a package or carton that provides supporting and restrain ing contact at four or more points on the surface of the egg, the carton having a substantially flat top or alternatively a top which includes a fiat area or areas of suitable size for receiving printed or otherwise applied wording or marking.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of an egg carton having a group of surfaces, preferably three in number, adapted to support a single egg, the surfaces having an inclination to the vertical such that the egg received therein will be held against the top or lid of the carton even though a variety of sizes of eggs are used in the carton.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an egg carton in which a group of three flat lateral portions are inclined to the vertical at angles between 13 and 15 /2.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the present invention will be understood upon consideration of the following specification and drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a carton in accordance with the present invention, in the fully opened position, the view being taken looking into the inside of the carton.

egg in vertical position.

lateral portions, i.e. portion20,is constituted by the outer Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the egg carton in fully openpo'sition and taken looking at theo utsideof'the carton.

Eig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 33 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1. Y

"Fig. 5 is a view partially in section showing two egg cartons according to the invention in stacked relation.

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of two modified cartons in stacked relation.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a carton of Fig. 6.

.Fig. 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 88 of Fig. 1 showing the manner in which eggs of different sizes are supported, in accordance with the invention.

' Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters are used to designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in Fig. 1 a carton 10 comprising two parts 11 and 12 each of generally dish-like shape which are joined together by a fold line or hinge 13, the two parts being formed from moulded pulp in any convenient or well-known manner. The part 11 is formed to receive the eggs and i to afford them lateral support, and constitutes the body of the carton. The second or upper portion 12 constitutes a lid. A carton for receiving twelve eggs in two parallel rows of six eggs will be described by way of example.

The carton body comprises an outer wall 14 of roughly rectangular but indented shape having around its upper edge an outwardly extending level flange 16 extending in a plane slightly above the hinge 13. The said wall 14 extends outwardly and upwardly at an inclination to the vertical from a plurality of flat bottom portions 17 lying in: a plane. These bottom portions constitute the bases of twelve egg receiving cells or formations 18, each of which comprises a group of three substantially flat lateral portions 20, 21, 22 which are not laterally joined, extending upwardly and outwardly from the bases 17 and in clined to each other in plan so as to engage an egg therein at spaced points with the longitudinal axis of the One of each of said group of wall 14 of the carton and lies between a pair of indented wall portions 23 'to which it is joined by curved wall portions 24 except at the ends of the carton. where said lateral portion is joined by 'a' curved wall 26 to the end wall 27 of the carton. The remaining two lateral portions of each group are constitutedby five hollow projections 28 of four sided inverted pyramidalform extending upwardly from the bottom of the carton to a plane no higher than a plane through the flange 16.

Each of said hollow projections 28 is disposed with opposite corners 29 aligned with the centres of opposite indented outer wall portions 23 as referred to above, these indented wall portions being conveniently made flat and having substantially the same outward inclination as the remainder of the outer wall. The corners'29 of the hollow projections may conveniently be rounded, but their flat sides are inclined to the vertical at the same angle as the outer lateral portions and constitute with them groups of downwardly and inwardly tapering laterally spaced surfaces, each group having three substantially flat lateral portions 20, 21, 22 for egg engagement as described above. The tops 31'of these hollow projections 28 are either open or closed. Also the lower portions of said hollow projections 28 where they rise from the cell bases 17 are joined at their lateral corners 29* to. the outer carton wall 14 and at their longitudinal corners 32 to each other and, in respect to the end porjections, to the end carton walls 27 to form a series of low barriers 33. These barriers 33 may beconveniently hollow and of inverted V shape in cross section with rounded corners. Their purpose is both to restrain fluid which may escape from a cracked egg from flowing over the whol e of the carton when the latter is handled or is in transit, and to provide lateral rigidity.

In a longitudinal row of egg cells, the above-mentioned hollow projections 28 afford two inner flat lateral portions or cell side walls for each of the four inner cells (as distingilished from the end cells), and one lateral portion or cell side wall for each of the two end cells. The third fiat lateral portion-for each of the two end cells is constituted by an inwardly indented portion 34 in the centre of each of the carton end walls 27 and of V shape in plan, the two sides 21 of the V being inclined upwardly and outwardly at the same angle to the vertical as the lateral side wall portions 20 of the longitudinal carton side wall 14. The barrier portions 33 extending from the outer angles of the two end hollow projections are joined to the apex of each of the aforesaid V indentations.

The generally triangular-shaped and generally planar top wall 34a of the inwardly indented portion 34 at each end of the carton is formed with alternating grooves 341] and ribs 340 in such fashion that the ribs and grooves extend in a direction transversely of the carton and with the upper surfaces of the ribs in the general plane of the upper surface of the flange 16, and with the lower portions of the carton material forming the grooves 34b lying in a plane 'below the lower surface of the flange 16.

The molded ribs of the end flanges. of the carton just described provide a reinforced end flange construct on which resists deformation or tearing of the egg cartons which sometimes results from either a mechanical or manual unstacking operation, and provides added strength in the specific area where strength is required for mechanical or manual unstacking of the cartons. The rib construction does not add to the over-all length of the individual cartons. The reinforcement of the generally planar top wall 3411 by molded grooves 34b and ribs 340 also provides a construction which does not interfere in any way with the normal nested stacking of the egg cartons for which the step or shoulder formations. 34d are specifically provided, which formations serve to somewhat separate the flanges 16 when the cartons are in nested relation and so that the cartons wil-l not be so fully nested as to be diflicult to separate. The cartons are in nested relation when shipped from the manufacturer to the location where eggs are to be placed therein. The lid 12 of the carton IOhasthe form of a generally rectangular dish with rounded corners 36 and a flat top 37, the sides 38 being inclined outwardly from. the top at substantially the same angle to the vertical as the sides of the carton body. Also the longitudinal sides 39 ofthe lid are formed withindented portions 41 between which are" substantially flat side wall portions 42 which, when the lid is closed, constitute continuations of the egg supporting lateral portions 20 of the carton body. The lid 12 has a flat flange 43 which is shaped to register with the flange 16 of the carton body when the lid is closed.

The longitudinal side'39 of the lid opposite to the hinge thereof is formed with a pair of spaced apertures 44, preferably rectangular, adapted to receive locking projections 45 to hold the lid closed. Hinged to the carton body on the side opposite the lid hinge there is a locking flap '46 adapted to extend inside the closed lid 12 and formed with indentations 47 and spaced flat side portions 48 which are adapted to mate with those previously described in the lid sides. The locking flap 46 hasa flange 49 at an obtuse angle to the flap proper. This flange 49 may conveniently form a continuation of the flange 16 of the carton body andhinged thereto either by a fold lineor a suitable applied hinge portion. The aforesaid obtuse angle between the locking flap 46 and its flange 49, or. the formation of the flange 49 and the adjacent flange 16 of the carton, is such that when the locking flap 46 islfolded inwardly so that the two flanges 49 and 16 engage there willbeiinterferencebetween said latter parts before the locking flap is inclined inwardly at the same angle as the longitudinal side 39 of the lid 12 when the latter is closed, and hence, some inward pressure will have to be exerted upon the locking flap in order to bring it within the lid when closing. The locking flap 46 is provided with a pair of outwardly rounded hollow projections 45, preferably of rounded contour, which are shaped to engage within the lid apertures 44. Thus, when the lid is closed over the locking flap the strain due to the aforesaid interference between the flanges 49 and 16 will provide a resilient force to cause the projections 45 to enter the apertures 44, thereby locking the lid.

The depth of the carton lid 12 is in general less than that of the lower or body portion 11 of the carton but the relationship of these dimensions depends upon the following considerations. 'Ihe carton is constructed so that the three substantially flat lateral portions 20, 21, 22 which support the eggs are inclined to the vertical at an angle which may vary between 13 and 15 /2 according to the particular range of egg sizes chosen. The depth of said lateral portions is such that an egg placed therein with its longitudinal axis vertical will be supported by the three lateral portions at spaced points on its circumference, the lower end of the egg being spaced from the base 17 from which said lateral portions rise. The carton lid 12, when the lid is closed, engages the tops of all the eggs in the carton even though the eggs vary in size as described herein. To allow for variations in the dimensions of the eggs the supporting lateral portions of the groups or side walls of the egg cells are so constructed that they can deflect by a predetermined amount in the above circumstance, one possible deflection being of the order of 1 or A at the point of contact.

It has been discovered that for eggs weighing between approximately 27 oz. per doz. and 32 oz. per doz., and for eggs weighing between approximately. 21 and 26 oz. or 27 oz. per doz., the inclination of the lateral portions 20, 21 and 22 to the vertical may vary between 13 and 15 /2". For eggs between 21 and 27 oz. per doz. only, an angle range of 13 -14 will provide the desired results; for eggs 27 oz. per doz. and up, one suitable angle range is 14-15 /z A further development of this conception is described hereinafter. Within these angles, eggs in the specified ranges will all touch the underside of the lid and thus will be held against impact with adjacent eggs. The manner in which this improved result is obtained is illustrated in Fig. 8 which illustrates a diagonal section of part of a carton showing on the right-hand side a small egg and on the left-hand side a large egg in supported position. It will be seen that the tops of both eggs are engaged with the underside of the lid, but whereas the small egg is supported by lateral engagement with an adjacent upwardly inclined surface without appreciable deflection of the latter, the larger egg requires some deflection of the lateral surface of its support and must be pressed down in the carton to allow the lid to be closed. It is by this provision of the required amount of lateral flexibility in the supporting surface that the advantages obtained by the invention are achieved.

The angles of the side walls of the egg cells in accordance with the invention and in accordance with the discovery as explained are essential and important to obtain the desired egg package.

Further, it is to be noted that the distance between cell centers in a carton in accordance with the present invention having lateral portions inclined approximately 13 is a certain amount or of predetermined dimension, and that cartons for the larger eggs and with lateral portions 14 the cell center-to-center distance should be slightly increased or slightly greater than said predetermined dimension.

In a further development of the foregoing conception, eggs of any size within the two size ranges are accommodated in one carton by providing lateral supporting portions which are inclined at 13, spacing the supporting structures or cells a distance apart as' for the larger eggs referred to previously, and providing the supporting portions with a degree of flexibility such that they are adapted to deflect by substantially 2 or at the point of contact. I

The required flexibility of the lateral side portions 20, 21, 22 can be provided for by a suitable choice of the character or thickness of the material forming them which is preferably moulded pulp. Thus, if desired the thickness of the hollow projections 28 which constitute the inner lateral portions 21 and 22 may be less than that of the outer wall 14 of the carton. Also, the tops 31 of said projections 28 may be apertured or omitted altogether to aiford greater flexibility to the walls thereof. Another method of increasing the flexibility of the lateral portions is by local weakening as by the provision of strip-like or suitably shaped areas which are thinner than the remainder of the wall.

In the above-described example the top of the carton lid is flat overall, and these cartons stack as shown in Fig. 5. Note the relation of the eggs therein, with the bottoms of the eggs in the upper carton spaced above the bottom of that carton. In the modified form of carton shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the lid is generally flat but is formed with a raised rim 55 along the longitudinal sides only. The rim is dimensioned so that when one carton is placed upon the top of another the base of the upper carton will be prevented from directly touching the flat portion of the lid in the lower carton.

Preferably, or if desired, the cartons are provided with a line of perforations or weakening extending transversely across the middle of the length thereof, e.g. along the line 56 of Fig. 2. This enables each carton to be divided to provide two separate half cartons if required.

It will be seen that by this invention there is provided a package or carton for eggs, or possibly other fragile articles, in which each article is supported at three spaced points by inclined lateral wall portions or surfaces which are not laterally joined, i.e., they do not constitute a laterally continuous cell, and the tops of the articles are engaged at one point only by a lid. By affording said lateral supporting portions a suitable inclination and an appropriate degree of flexibility it is possible to pack securely, in the same carton, articles which vary in size over a given range. V

The invention is not restricted to the example described, since packages or cartons for difierent numbers and arrangements of articles may be formed upon the same principles. The thickness of the walls of the carton will depend upon the characteristics of the material thereof having regard to the requirements that the carton as a whole must have suflicient rigidity to withstand the stresses of handling and transport, and that the portions thereof which support the articles must have the desired flexibility. It will be understood that the dimensions of the package or carton and of the interior supporting surface portions thereof will be varied in accordance with the dimensions or range of dimensions of the articles to be packaged.

What is claimed is:

l. A molded pulp egg carton for holding eggs of a predetermined range of sizes out of contact with a cell bottom, said carton comprising a multi-cell tray portion and a lid having atop and an underside for engaging the upper end portions of eggs contained within the cells of said tray, said cells including a transverse bottom and upwardly diverging side walls, the side walls of each cell of said tray being so steeply inclined to the vertical and so closely spaced to each other so as to support each egg above and out of contact with the cell bottom and with the very top portion of the egg in contact with the underside of said lid so that all eggs of a given range of sizes are engaged at four points out of contact with said transverse cell bottom, one of said four points coinciding with the top of the egg, and the underside of said lid, three of said four points being relatively high on the inner side of said side walls substantially above said transverse cell bottom, said lid being further characterized in that it has a major flat area for contacting the top of each egg and a raised rim along each of two sides thereof.

2. A molded pulp egg carton for holding eggs of a predetermined range of sizes out of contact with a cell bottom, said carton comprising a multi-cell tray portion and a lid having a top and an underside for engaging the upper end portions of eggs contained within the cells of said tray, said cells including a transverse bottom and upwardly diverging side walls, the side walls of each cell of said tray being so steeply inclined to the vertical and so closely spaced to each other so as to support each egg above and out of contact with the cell bottom and with thevery'top portion of the egg in contact with the underside of said lid' so that all eggs of a given range of sizes are engaged at four points out of contact with said transverse cell bottom, one of said four points coinciding with the top of the egg and the underside of said lid, three of said four points being relatively high on the inner side of said side walls substantially above said transverse cell-bottom, said side walls of said tray portion being further characterized in that they extend to the cell bottom and from the bottom they are at angle to thetvertical of between 13 and 15 /2 said lid being further characterized in that it has a major flat area for contacting the top of each egg and a raised rim along each of two sides thereof.

3. A molded pulp egg carton for holding eggs of a predetermined range of sizes out of contact with a cell bottom, said carton comprising a multi-cell tray portion and, a lid having a top and an underside for engaging the upper end portions of eggs contained within the cells of said tray, said cells including a transverse bottom 'and upwardly diverging side walls, the side walls of each cell of said tray being so steeply inclined to the vertical and so closely spaced to each other so as to support each'egg above and out of contact with the cell bottom and with the very top portion of the egg in contact with the underside of said lid so that all eggs of a given range of sizes are engaged at four points out of contact with said transverse Icell bottom, one'of said four points coinciding with the top of the egg and the underside of said lid',ilthreei of said four 'points'being relatively highflon the inner side of said side walls substantially above said transverse cell bottom, said side walls of said tray portion being further characterized inithatthey extendto the cell bottom and from the bottom they are at'arrgle to the vertical ofbetween 13 and 15 /2 4. A molded pulp egg carton in accordance with claim 3, said side walls being disposed in triangular relationship, two of said side walls intersecting substantially atthe longitudinal axis of said carton and the other side Walls substantially coinciding with a side wall portion offsaid tray. l

5; A molded pulp egg carton in accordance with claim 3, said upwardly diverging side walls being disposed in triangular relationship, two of said side walls intersecting substantially at the longitudinal axis of said carton,

the other of said side walls being arcuately conformed and substantially coinciding with an arcuate end portion of said tray portion. a

6. A molded pulp egg carton in accordance with claim -3, an adjacent pair of end cells of saidtray portion including upwardly diverging side walls converging substantially at the longitudinal axis of said carton and border ing opposite sides of an inwardly directed triangular References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,423,756 a Chaplin July 8, 1947 2,560,847 Chaplin July 17, 1951 2,756,918 Schwartzberg July 31, 1956 2,924,368 Lord Feb. 9, 1960 

